Pc
Keith Wallis has admitted misconduct in public office between September 19 and December 16 2012,
by saying he had witnessed the incident involving Tory MP Andrew Mitchell

Pc Keith Wallis, 53, arriving at the Old Bailey in central London today

A
police officer who falsely claimed to have witnessed the Plebgate row involving then-chief whip Andrew Mitchell has pleaded
guilty at the Old Bailey.

Pc
Keith Wallis, 53, of West Drayton, west London,
admitted misconduct in public office between September 19 and December 16 2012,
by saying he had witnessed the incident.

He
was charged after he sent an email to Conservative deputy chief whip John Randall,
who was his MP, wrongly claiming he had seen what happened in Downing
Street on September 19 last year.

A
row erupted when then-chief whip Mr Mitchell became involved in a heated
confrontation with another police officer, Toby Rowland, after he was refused
permission to cycle through the main gate.

Mr
Mitchell admitted swearing but denied Pc Rowland's claim that he used the word
''pleb''.

Today,
the Tory MP for Sutton Coldfield welcomed Wallis's guilty plea but said the
police officer's behaviour was "very sad and worrying".

Mr
Mitchell said in a statement: "I am pleased that justice has been done in
a criminal court today.

"It
is very sad and worrying for all of us that a serving police officer should
have behaved in this way. There remain many questions unanswered; in particular
why Pc Wallis wrote this email and who else was involved in this process.

"I
am looking forward to seeing justice done in the up to 10 other related
disciplinary cases involving police officers so that I can focus all my energy
on delivering for my constituents and help David Cameron win a Conservative
majority at the 2015 election."

The
court heard Wallis, who is from the Metropolitan Police Diplomatic Protection
Group, admitted the offence in police interview and offered to resign.

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